To what extent were governments responsible for popular protest in the period 1815-28?

Protest was popular from 1815-22; the government introduced the six acts 1819 and the game laws.

The six acts stopped mass gathering for protest, didn't allow seditious literature to be owned by anyone and put the price of newspapers up with stamp duties.

The government were mostly to blame for protest in the period 1815-22, as they didn't initiate reforms and kept life dominated by the landed classes (upper classes.)

When reforms did occur it was in the period 1822-28; this was due to the reshuffle in the Tories party thus giving them the title liberal.

Trade unions are an example of the reforms made; the amending act 1825 reduced protest as it allowed negotiation of wages and hours, but still prohibited the obstruction of workers.

The Corn Laws were reformed in 1927 from 80s a quarter to 73s a quarter; the Corn Laws were on a sliding scale.

Protest died down during 1822-28 due to these reforms.

The jails act 1823 improved conditions for prisoners. The penal code reform meant the death penalty was removed from 180 crimes; this was seen as lenient, but was harsher as more people were punished; this reduced crime and therefore the need for reform.

Other factors also contributed to the die down in protest during 1822-28; the economic situation of Britain improved; jobs increased, the population growth slowed down, harvests improved and so the need for revolution died down. Protests weren't as popular as people were happier, not just from the reforms but also the improvement in the economic situation and harvests. These factors could be seen as more important than the reforms introduced.

If protest occurred early on in the period (1815) the government were probably to blame. Later in the period (1828) the government were less to blame, other factors such as hunger politics (the working class taking an interest in politics against the genuine struggle for food.)

Equally the government and other factors were responsible for popular protest throughout the period 1815-28. However later on it wouldn't be the government as much as the other factors.